PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

Mission:
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members? veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
PVA will use that expertise to be the leading advocate for:
- Quality health care for our members,
- Research and education addressing spinal cord injury and dysfunction,
- Benefits available as a result of our members? military service,
- Civil rights and opportunities which maximize the independence of our members and all people with disabilities.
For more than 60 years, PVA has fought for our veterans who answered the call when our nation asked for their service . . . and in return, they have given up their freedoms to protect ours.
For more information visit www.SupportVeterans.org or www.pva.org. Programs:
Founded in 1946 by veterans of World War II, PVA started out as a small organization - a group of individuals committed to helping each other, sharing their hard-learned strategies for living with spinal cord injury (SCI), and working to improve their communities. Sixty years ago PVA was there to help our paralyzed heroes, and now continues a long legacy of commitment to providing hope for all individuals with disabilities.
Beyond our broad scope of SCI research & education, PVA continues to respond to the needs of our members ? veterans of the armed forces with spinal cord injury or dysfunction ? though pro bono legal representation, veterans benefits services, legislation & advocacy, access to quality healthcare, architecture and accessibility, and sports & recreational activities to 21,000 paralyzed members, their families and friends.
PVA has awarded more than $40 million in SCI research and education grants, filed hundreds of thousands claims on behalf of our members with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and served millions of individuals with disabilities.
And we want to do more in 2006 and beyond.
Through the generosity of more than 18 million friends nationwide and a network of 34 Chapters across America, we hope to further educate all individuals to prevent more injuries from occurring, and ultimately to find a cure.

Here is Charity Navigator's own letter re: the deficiencies in Charity Navigator's review of non-profits (http://overheadmyth.com/). That's why I go to guidestar.org.
"In 2013, GuideStar, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator wrote an open letter to the donors of America in a campaign to end the Overhead Myth—the false conception that financial ratios are the sole indicator of nonprofit performance. For our second letter, released in October 2014, we invite the nonprofits of America to do their part to focus donors’ attention on what really matters: your organization’s efforts to make the world a better place. We ask nonprofits and the social sector at large to join us as we move toward an Overhead Solution."

Our veterans are our heroes for life. After serving our country, serious injury shouldn’t stop them from living the full, rewarding lives they deserve. At Paralyzed Veterans of America, we fight for better health care and benefits, aid in the search for a truly satisfying career, and provide the path to adventure through adaptive sports. What’s more, we are committed to ongoing care by educating clinicians about spinal cord injury, and we’re deeply invested in the future—a cure for paralysis.

I looked at the tax return they filed with the Internal Revenue Service. I did notice that PVA changed their year end to June 30 so the information they filed on the tax return is for a 9 month period.

I could not find any recent NY Post Aarticle on Paralyzed Veterans.

As part of the tax return I also looked at Schedule O which lists all of what they accomplish with the donations they raise - very informative"

One organization or one government can't support the entire veteran population in the way that they need. Supporting our troops is a community responsibility. There are hundreds of non-governmental agencies that provide various veterans services, and all can use contributions of time, money or goods. I choose to support Paralyzed Veterans of America because they are a mature organization nearly 70 years old, and they seem to have a greater understanding of the needs of the general disabled veterans community and the individual needs of service members and their families. They provide a wide variety of programs and services that meet as many needs as they can. A very fine organization.

What i like about this organization is their willingness to network for the good of their clients; their excellent outreach programs for veterans; and their high-quality publications (PN, Sports 'n Spokes, etc.).

My son is an Iraqi War Veteran who became paralyzed, and thanks to the PVA he was able to receive all the support possible and the process was very smooth. He received career training from one of their vocational rehabilitation centers at the VA which has the best staff in the world. Without the help from this excellent organization my son would still be in depression and have no quality of life.

Ben Affleck is outstanding on-screen and off. I am so appreciative of his support for PVA. My dear husband was taken from us by ALS two years ago. He was a Vietnam era veteran and the PVA was fantastic in seeing that he got the care and benefits which he so deserved. Thank you forever.

As a young girl I was stricken with encephalitis which has left me in a wheelchair. I had to learn to do everything all over again. Because I know what it's like to live with a disability and because I believe we all need to support our veterans 100% I know my contributions to PVA is the best way to do that.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

The United States of America exists today because of the bravery of countless men and women who have risked everything to protect the freedoms we enjoy. I am proud to say that there are veterans in every branch of my family and many have even laid down their lives for our country. I honor their sacrifice and that of every person in our military. Paralyzed Veterans of America is one of the rare organizations that repays our debt to the men and women of arms. Through the PVA, my family can reach out to those who have lost their hope and help them rebuild their lives. We trust and proudly support this noble organization in its important work.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

As a volunteer and a donor, I feel my time and money have been put to good use. I've seen first hand how the PVA and their staff interact with the PVA veterans in their sports program like trapshooting, and handcyclying, fishing, and wheelchair games. It is so important to give these veterans the opportunity to see what they can accomplish, especially after being so catastrophiclly injureded. Some of these vets are just out of Rehab and to see the sense of accomplishment that they expierence is fantastic.